Intel has been very public about its 45-nm manufacturing transition, so the fact that the company was opening its $3 billion Fab 32 this morning wasn’t new. But it was a nearby event, and there was still some hope that a fab tour was in order. (It wasn’t. Intel PR convinced me that they would have been quite happy with a nice meaty feature on the insides of the new fab, but the manufacturing folks guard their secrets jealously.)

So I was a little shocked to be handed a 20-page special report (including ads), covering the new fab, Intel’s impact on the local economy, and even a short report on the fab’s use of water — an important story in the desert. There are a few too many columns from local dignitaries on what Intel means to them, although they’re somewhat justified (a column by Arizona State University’s president reveals that ASU supplies more engineering talent to Intel than any other U.S. university).

The tech press focuses, naturally, on the technology. Business reporters following Intel are often concerned with its bottom line. But these stories detail Intel’s impact on the community, a fresh perspective that’s worth a read.